Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Ghosts At Vimy

This is not one of my shots, but instead is taken from the museum's catalogue site, since the painting in question is currently not on display. The painting is called The Ghosts Of Vimy Ridge, by the Australian artist William Longstaff. It depicts Walter Allward's memorial in France at night, with the ghosts of the dead rising from the ruined earth around the ridge. Longstaff painted this at some point in 1929-1930, years before the memorial was finished in 1936, while the land still bore the scars of the battle, but he knew what the finished monument would look like. The canvas had been displayed in Regeneration Hall for several years. At present, it is in the vaults for awhile, as another Vimy-related painting is hanging in its place. I have seen Ghosts Of Vimy Ridge many times, and it is huge... and haunting to behold. It's one of my favourite works of art.

@Beth: I hadn't heard anything about it being on loan to anyone- usually there would be a small notice where a painting usually resides about it being on loan- so I'm assuming it's either undergoing some conserving work, or being given some rest in the vaults. It'll probably be back on display before the centennial of the battle.

I wish we would learn from the horrors of WWI. The land still bears the scars, believe it or not, a century later. There have been aerial photos taken and in some places in Eastern France you can clearly see where the trenches were/the shells ripped earth open... It is a very striking painting.